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WWII US Army M-1 Fixed Bail Helmet -
The M-1 steel pot helmet is one of the most utilitarian designs produced for a U.S. helmet and one of the longest lasting. Many news reels and pictures show the GI's using their helmet to cook, dig, carry water and many other functions.

This helmet might be one of the most recognizable icons of WWII. Approximatelly 8 million helmets were produced during WWII by a large number of companies.

The design of the helmet consisted of a steel outer shell with a separate fiber glass inner shell, known as the liner. The outer shell came with a fixed canvis chin strap while the liner had a lighter duty, removable leather chin strap.

The M-1 helmet was introduced in 1941. The early versions of the helmet had a fixed bail. later on the armed forces figrued out that the failure rate in such design was greater because the force exerted on the bail when the soldier was runing was too much and would cause the bail to break. The swivel bail was introduced to solve the proble. This design had a hinging mechanism that allowed the bail to move as forces were applied, reliving the stress on the weld spot.

The edge of the helmet has a fold that runs the entire perimeter. This feature covers any sharp edges left after the manufacturing process, protecting the soldier from getting cut. The placed where the start and end of the fold meet forms a seam. The WWII helmets had the seam in the front. Later war helmets and post war examples had the seam in the back.





This page is a recognition and identification guide for US hats and helmets. Multiple detailed photos of a specific sample are provided. Descriptions point out clearly defined points that should be noted.

One of the most commonly asked questions is "How much is my US headgear worth?". A price guide is included here to address this question. The value of the hats and helmets is reviewed over a period of several years. A trend can be observed. The present worth of US militaria in the collector's market is illustrated.

This service is provided free of charge to the visitor/enthusiast courtesy of MilitaryItems.com, a company dedicated to the preservation of military history and to providing quality military antiques and collectibles to museums, institutions and the general public.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?
  1. FAQ's
  2. M-1 Helmet anatomy
  3. Identifying fakes and reproductions
  4. Stamps and manufacturing markings
  5. Construction materials
  6. Pins, hinges and other
  7. Perspective view
  8. Purchasing WWII US Headgear









some of the WWII liners were stamped with the manufacturer marking in the crown area. The example shown here has such markings.

Accessoties that could be Added to the M-1 helmet included a camoufalged cover (Usually by USMC forces) and a net. The sample featured here shows the net. This was a popular option among troops because they could attach brush and twigs to the helmet to increase their ability to camouflage.

The net was normally cut out from cargo netting used in the Navy ships.







The M-1 Helmet

The "Military minute" is a series of instructional videos created by MilitaryItems.com for the purpose of providing basic information about military collectibles. The idea is to expose people to the exciting world of military collectibles.

The video presentation coupled with detailed photographs and written information, including a military collectible's price guide, enhances the visitor's experience.

Whether you are a long time collector, a beginner or simply have an interest in the history and value of each collectible, we hope that you find the information presented here useful.









US headgear in general is currently being reproduced. It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of this headgear. Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of the collectible.



If you have an interest is seeing other American military headgear, you can do so by going to our US Military headgear identification guide. Where we cover Army, Navy, Army Air Force and other organizations.





PRICING GUIDE INFORMATION

The value for the US Army helmets and other military antiques and collectibles is provided as a means to educate the collector community and individuals who have a general interest on the field. The following is an estimated value. Prices may vary in every state and every country. This service is provided courtesy of MilitaryItems.com . The source for military antiques and collectibles in the web.

Year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Value $280.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 $0.00
Availability Rare Rare Rare Rare Rare
Invest Grade A A A A A


While the item featured here is not for sale, similar items like it are available for purchase in our website MilitaryItems.com


 
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